Alice in a Dive Bar
by The Dark Flair
Summary: The place was disgusting, vile, and completely horrible in every way. Roxas loved it. Axel loved it because Roxas did.


**I don't own:**

 **WTH (Way Too High): Jhené Aiko**

 **Shameless: The Weeknd.**

 **All rights go to the artists.**

 **XXX**

 **Alice in a Dive Bar**

The last place Axel wanted to spend his weekend was a disgusting, tacky dive bar. Immediately after setting foot in the place, he could see the horrible, effortless décor; smell the thick scent of rust, mold, urine, and a hint- just a _hint_ of Pine Sol; feel the floorboards buckle and creak beneath his weight, taste the cheap alcohol in his mouth; and hear the loud ruckus around him. All five of his senses had been violated within five seconds of being there.

Even without the stomach turning sight of two sweaty, heavyset lesbians making out in the corner, hearing a scraggly man trying his hardest to convince the shitfaced blonde to go home with him, the obnoxious laughter, and feeling the impending headache he was about to receive once that drunk guy in the corner figured out how to correctly summon the flame from his lighter and touch it to the end of his broken cigarette, he still hated the place. It lacked taste and class. It lacked, well, everything that the surrounding community had. This was clearly a place for thugs, bikers, and sick old men to get their rocks off with unsuspecting women. Not people like him.

So why was he in this pitiful excuse for an enjoyable community establishment?

"Axel! Over here buddy!"

Demyx and Xigbar, two of his closest bags of useless meat. Associates on a good day.

Axel, with his usually wild hair pulled back into a semi-tamed ponytail, walked over to the already worn out bar stools and cautiously took a seat, making a mental note to burn those pants later. The place had only been open for a month and a half, but it looked like the lowest beasts of Hell have made the place their bitch twice.

"-And guess what you're sucking when we get home, _bitch!_ "

Three times.

Demyx wiped the down the bar with a surprisingly clean rag, a soft smile on his face as he hummed an unfamiliar tune. He only talked when Xigbar didn't. And by the look on his face, he already had a mouthful prepared.

"I know the appearance of the bar is shitty, but bear with it. I swear, we're making a lot of progress."

Since Axel had done nothing but sit on a sack of money since he graduated, he agreed to lend Demyx and Xigbar a couple thousand dollars to keep their bar going on two conditions: the bar had to be successful and he had to like how they ran the place. He didn't want to waste his money on a hopeless dream.

"And what type of progress would that be?" Axel asked skeptically.

"Look around! The bar may not be full of the friendliest customers, but it _does_ have customers. Problem is, our main attraction gets most of the money. Dem's brother sings here every night and the fuckers eat it up. We don't really have the heart to take the tips from him, but the little shit makes more in tips than we do with normal business."

"His voice is amazing," Demyx added quietly.

"This is true," Xigbar grinned, pouring Axel a drink in a chipped and partially cracked glass. "Glad we snatched him up before anyone else could. They come here just for the kid."

Axel looked around, noting that the place was full. On the brink of uninhabitable, but full. And all for one kid? He must have the voice of angel.

"If the bar makes so much, why do you need my help?"

Xigbar gave him a pointed look. "Do you _see_ this place!? I'm proud of this place, but I'm not proud of the physical building. It's way too small."

"Yeah, _that's_ the problem…" Axel muttered. He absentmindedly took a sip on the brown liquor. An odd, spicy twang hit his tongue and proceeded to assault his taste buds. He spat it back into the cup and pushed it away. "What the hell is that!? That shit is lethal!"

Demyx gasped and picked up a bottle from the floor. On the front was the word Lethal in some kind of font that attempted to be fancy. "How'd you know!?"

Axel wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He'd never be able to forget the taste of that. "I see decent liquor is out of the question."

"Well who needs decent liquor when you have idiot meatheads who are easily manipulated?" Xigbar asked honestly.

Another drunk guy came up to the bar and slammed his cup down., along with wet bills. "Gimme su'more of that shit from Vancouver," he slurred.

Demyx reached onto the floor and picked up a bottle to pour the man another drink. After he left, he turned to Axel and smiled. "It's not really from Vancouver. It's Bud Lite and Hawaiian Punch," he said, attempting to grab the bills from a dry spot and placed them in the register.

Of course. They couldn't afford to pay _attention_ , much less an alcoholic beverage made thousands of miles away from this place.

Axel had already decided that he wouldn't give them the money. The building was too run down, the customers were less than desirable patrons, and that fucker in the corner finally lit that cigarette. The place was horrible. Who was to say they wouldn't just keep the money for themselves and shut this shitty place down? They weren't the most trustworthy bags of meat.

As he was about to announce his decision, a loud buzzer sounded. Demyx smiled and hopped up on the bar to sit. "It's nine. Roxy's going to sing now."

Oh right. He still had yet to see this? "main attraction" they kept bragging about over the phone. He only just discovered it was Demyx's brother singing that night.

A short blond boy with the oddest style of hair appeared from behind a door and walk onto the small makeshift stage. And by stage, I mean three rugs laid on top of each other. He gave a half smirk to the rowdy, cheers and wolf whistles he received.

He wore a black T-shirt with _F#ck Off_ printed in white on the front and a pair of ripped, stonewashed jeans. He had a piercing in his nose and what appeared to be eyeliner surrounding those gorgeous blue eyes. Despite his attire, he looked nervous as all hell.

Axel was intrigued. He suddenly wasn't bothered by the fact that he was in a run down dive bar surrounded by idiots. What would this kid sound like when he sang? Was it really worth coming to this place several times a week like many of the patrons probably did?

A soft beat flowed through the speakers above his head. All the charter and nonsensical rambling had quieted to a low murmur, then eventually down to nothing at all. All of this really _was_ for him.

"Hey Xig-?"

"Shut up and listen, Rich boy."

The boy in the front took a deep breath, then stepped closer so that his lips were touching the microphone. Just barely so that it wouldn't interfere with the sound.

If that wasn't an innuendo, Axel didn't know _what_ it was.

 _I am Alice, I'm in Wonderland_

 _Where's the rabbit? He is late again_

 _Goodness gracious, I can't wait for him_

 _Who has got the time?_

His voice wasn't good. That was an understatement. It was real art. It was physically stunning; able to tame the beast that was once a roaring crowd.

He believed that the kid and Demyx were related. His whole family was musically gifted, according to Demyx. For some reason, Demyx chose to let his talent for playing instruments go to waste and let Xigbar talk him into opening _this_ place up. He always did whatever Xigbar wanted.

 _Round and round_

 _And round and round we go_

 _It's just like the same scenario_

 _Good for nothin'_

 _Feels like somethin' ain't right_

 _I…I might_

 _I might've got way too…high_

 _I might_

 _I might've got way too high_

He recognized this song from the radio. It was a Jhené Aiko song. How this kid was able to take the song and sing in an entirely different pitch and make it tolerable was a just short of a miracle. Not many people in Hollow Bastion could sing. Those who could were mostly women. So how did this kid wind up in a place like this? Besides the coercion of his brother.

The lower pitch made the song dark and _dirty_ , for lack of better term. Axel had been entranced from the very start and he hadn't even realized it.

 _I am trippin', I keep slippin'_

 _I cannot recognize_

 _What's the difference in pretendin' and livin' a real lie?_

 _Ha~ ha-ha, ha, ha_

 _Everything is spinning now_

 _Ha~ ha-ha, ha, ha_

 _Have you seen the ground?_

 _I might_

 _I might've got way too…high_

 _I might_

 _I might've got way too high_

 __

He seemed to pour his soul into each lyric as he sang. The nervousness he detected earlier was no longer there. Instead, waves of confidence flowed right off of him. He knew exactly what he was doing to his audience because he was doing it on purpose at this point. Maybe even before now.

Right when he thought the song would end, a twist was put on it.

 _Spiraling helplessly, I can't bear to see_

 _What's behind or what's in front of me_

 _All the colors in my surroundings_

 _I can barely breathe_

 _It's taking away from me_

 _I'm_ _ **not**_ _where I'm s'posed to be_

 _It's taken a while to_ _ **realize**_

 _I…_ _ **might**_

 _I might've got way too_ _ **high**_

 _I might have got way too…_

Axel's jaw was left hanging by the time the song had ended. He'd never heard anything like it. He _loved_ it. Believe it or not, the singing alone made the place a lot more decent. The interior? Meh. The drinks? He could live without them. The smell? _What_ smell?

The crowd cheered for him, placing wads of cash into a green plastic bowl another man walked around with. It was labeled _Roxas' Tips_.

 _So Roxas is your name. Roxy just didn't fit_ , Axel thought with a genuine smile.

"Thank you," he chuckled nervously into the mic. "Any suggestions? I was rushed, so I don't have a list like I usually do." Men and women alike started shouting suggestions at him, to which he laughed appreciatively.

His normal voice was much softer than the voice he'd sang with. It was hardly believable that the person who was talking was the same person who'd just sang seconds ago. If he wasn't looking at him the whole time, he wouldn't have believed it.

He had to talk to him.

XXX

The blond boy sat awkwardly in the back room of the bar in front of Axel. He made no move to talk, or even look up at him. Was he really that nervous after that immaculate two hour performance?

"Demyx tells me your name is Roxas," Axel attempts with a friendly smile.

He expected a nod, a shrugged, or even a mumble. Instead, the boy kept his eyes on the table and said, "I'm not old enough to have a drink with you, I won't go home with you, and I _won't_ sleep with you. Now that that's out in the open, what is it that you want from me?"

Axel bit his lip and stared down at his clasped hands. What did he want from him? He knew he wanted to talk, but he didn't know what to say.

"You um…you have a real talent there. Your voice is almost angelic."

"Thank you," he smiled softly. "I'm glad you enjoyed my performance."

He chuckled and scooted his chair closer to the blond. "Have you ever thought of performing for a bigger crowd? Or even performing outside of this... _lovely_ bar?" he grimaced. He didn't know if insulting his brother's bar would offend him or not, so he chose the safer route.

"Lovely," he laughed a bit more comfortably. "Yeah, it's _very_ charming. But no, I haven't thought about it because I choose not to. This bar may not be the best compared to the rest in town but it's…chinky."

"Chinky?" Axel quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah. It's a word I made up a while ago; it means the bad kind of fun. The bar is for the customer's enjoyment, not my own. I just make the experience better."

"But do you actually like singing in such a _chinky_ bar?"

Surprisingly, Roxas nodded and smiled up at him. "Not only does it pay very well, but people actually want me here. And I want to be here for them. The music business isn't for me because I don't want to be famous. When you're famous, you have to sign a bunch of contracts, travel all the time, and do a bunch of stuff you don't want to do.

Wow. He was the very first person he met who wasn't famous and _didn't_ want to be. Fame and fortune was what everyone wanted at least once in their life. Not this kid, though.

Axel smirked, pulling out his checkbook to write out a certain amount of money for the two owners. He folded it and slid it over the table to Roxas before standing up and heading towards the door. "Give this to your brother and Xigbar for me."

The blond boy looked at the check, eyes bulging at the amount. "Eight thou-! I-I…Sir, this is-!"

"My gift to the three of you. Fix this place up." He turned towards the door and walked out. It was going on midnight and he had to get home.

After closing time, Roxas pulled the check out of his pocket and went over to the two owners. "Guys! Your friend wrote you a check for eight thousand dollars!"

"What!?" Xigbar snatched the paper out of his hand and looked at the number with Demyx peeking over his shoulder. He gasped and let the paper flutter to the bar.

"Roxy, that isn't eight thousand dollars," Demyx laughed in disbelief.

"Huh? Then how much is it?"

"EIGHT HUNDRED _THOUASND_ SMACKEROONIES!" Xigbar screamed, then collapsed onto the bar in triumphant laughter. "I love that bastard!"

"So we're really doing this bar thing?" Roxas asked hopefully.

"You bet your sweet little homosexual _ass_ we are! I'm thinking bigger and redder. Dark red to set the mood for your cover songs. Thick red curtains, red round couches in the booths, they could be leather too!"

"New stools that have backs on them, a brand new sound system, and Karaoke weekends?" Demyx suggested.

Xigbar gasped, taking Demyx by the face. "You're an incredibly smart individual and I don't know why I haven't noticed until just now. I'm sorry for every time I've ever called you stupid."

"Oh, t-thank you!" Demyx smiled.

Roxas watched the two talk about their ideas for the bar, but smiled at the thought of the redhead. Who wrote thousand dollar checks all willy nilly? In fact, who went to a dive bar in a red dress shirt and slacks? He knew he was an associate of theirs, but that didn't say what kind of person he was. He looked a lot like a Sommers.

He wanted to talk to him. He wish he had talked more when he was right in front of him.

XXX

Three months went by in a flash for Axel. He was constantly busy, so he could never go check on the progress of Xigbar and Demyx's new bar. As much as he wanted to go see- mostly for the kid, though -he maintained an obligation to his work and family.

After those three months were up, Axel was able to take a three day vacation. He tossed on a black Polo and dark jeans before heading over to the address Demyx had texted him months before. He pulled up to a visibly nicer building on Radiant Avenue. The flashing neon sign read _Dem & Xig Bar. _He chuckled fondly at it and braved a walk inside.

 _Let's see what my money paid for._

Upon entering the club's long hallway, he was greeted with a miasma of strong liquor, cigarette smoke, sweat, and one last unidentifiable thing. However, it smelled like an actual bar and not a building that was one lose shingle away from being condemned. It was comforting in it's own little way.

The red curtains at the entrance threw him off a bit. He kept walking past the horny couples posted up against the wall until he reached another set of curtains. Pulling them back revealed an incredible upgrade. There were booths and couches lined up against the walls, a long bar table in the far back where Xigbar and a couple of unfamiliar faces were serving drinks, a dancefloor full of bodies grinding on one another, and an actual stage with a mic stand next to a DJ booth. There, he saw Demyx manipulating the music that the crowd moved to.

Roxas was nowhere to be seen. That should've been the first thing he noticed.

Axel walked over to the bar and sat down in the very comfortable stool. Xigbar danced over to him, swaying to the beat of the music with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. "You really came through, bro. Look what you _did_ for us! This place is fucktacular! I never thought I'd be the owner of something so swanky."

Axel shrugged. "I had a reason to believe you wouldn't disappoint me. And what do you know, you didn't. I actually like this place, Xig."

"This is the creation of three brilliant minds, baby. Of course you love it. And it's almost nine too. You'll love this."

Axel patiently waited until nine o'clock. That familiar buzzer echoed throughout the club. Instead of the loud and rowdy cheers he'd heard the last time, the people clapped respectably as Roxas came onto the stage. He was dressed in a soft blue shirt, a black leather jacket, and white jeans. His nose piercing was gone, but he had on other accessories. The kid had three silver and gold chains around his neck, a large watch, a single earring, and a chain belt.

No eyeliner, no nose piercing, no originality. He was just another walking cause of exploding ovaries. What the hell did they do to him? That wasn't Roxas. Not the kid he remembered.

He didn't look nervous like he did before. He looked cocky, but Axel could tell it was a front. There was a dullness in his eyes that wasn't there the last time they met. But the women around him were eating it up

The song started and Axel immediately knew what it was. It was a good song, but it wasn't Roxas' style. Or at least he assumed so. Did he even want to sing that?

 _Say it louder, say it louder_

 _Who's gonna love ya like me?_

 _Like me_

 _Say it louder, say it louder_

 _Who's gonna touch ya like me?_

 _Like me_

 _Ooh, said you wanna be good but ya couldn't keep your composure_

 _Ooh, said it'd be the last time, but ya beggin' me to come over_

 _Ooh, come over_

 _Ooh…sayin' who's gonna fuck ya like me?_

Axel was…disappointed. The great performance and the effect it had on him was there, but _Roxas_ was not. It was weird to know he'd only met the kid once, but felt like he'd known him for years; to see such a drastic change in personality after only seeing him twice; to mourn for the loss of something that wasn't _his_.

 _I don't wanna hurt you, but you live for the pain_

 _I'm not tryna say it, but it's what you became_

 _You want me to fix you, but it's never enough_

 _That's why you always call me, cause you're scared to be loved_

Axel caught his eye during the performance. He didn't look away like he expected him to. He stared back, almost pleading for help. He wanted to escape from this new world his bosses dragged him into. It wasn't real; it wasn't home.

 _I'll always be there for you_

 _I'll always be there for you_

 _I'll always be there for you, girl, I have no shame_

 _And I'll always be there for you_

 _I'll always be there for you_

 _I'll always be there for you, girl, I have no shame_

The redhead understood, but there was nothing he could do to help him. He looked away first. After a few seconds, he glanced back. Could anyone else see the look of desperation and hopelessness beneath that mask of faux confidence?

He half listened to the rest of the song, then stood up from his stool. Xigbar didn't even notice he was leaving, nor did he notice Roxas' reaction to his absence.

Axel drove all the way back to the old building where the bar used to be. The building hadn't been condemned like he thought. In fact, the door wasn't even locked. He pulled it open and walked inside. Everything was gone except for the bar table and the three rugs piles on top of each other. The lights didn't work, but there was just enough light shining through the hole in the roof to provide light for him.

He stood there for about a good twenty minutes before the front door creaked open. He wasn't at all surprised to see Roxas enter in the get up he was probably forced to wear at the new club. "Sir? What are you doing here?"

Axel smiled down at the bar. "Same reason you're here. Nostalgia."

Roxas sat on one of the stools. Like a magnet, Axel was drawn to sit next to him. The blond took a few deep breaths before turning to face him. "Thank you so much for the money. The new club is great. They love it," he smiled.

"Do _you_ like it, Roxas?"

"I…they love it," he repeated with a small chuckle and a half shrug. "We make a lot of money and they're very proud."

Axel sighed. "What's the point of doing something if you don't like it?"

"It's for the money."

"Isn't that selling out, though? The very reason you didn't want to go into the music business?"

Roxas furrowed his brow, getting a bit defensive. "Maybe but…who cares? Living here in this town isn't cheap. Not everyone can write eight hundred thousand dollar checks whenever they want, Sir."

"Just call me Axel. I'm only twenty-five."

The blond kicked his feet back and forth shyly. Axel wanted to laugh because even in the low stool, his feet didn't quite touch the floor. "Okay… _Axel_ ," he smiled. "I'm nineteen."

He noticed that both he and Demyx were extremely shy around new people. Was that a family thing? "You don't have to be shy around me, kid. I'm not going to kill you if you say something wrong."

Roxas chuckled, awkwardly picking with his watch. "I know. Demyx and I just aren't used to the people here. Everyone was so friendly back on the island, but _here_ people are disgusting and rude. I don't understand it."

The island? Was he referring to Destiny Islands? Axel had always wanted to go there. He planned to take a vacation there someday, but he didn't know when the right time would be.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to the hustle and bustle that is Hollow Bastion. I'm an island boy in the big city."

"So why did you move here?" Axel asked.

"Because Xigbar talked Demyx into moving here, then he dragged me along with him a couple years later. They were pen pals for a long time before they actually met in person. I think Demyx likes him."

That was definitely something to think about. Whatever Xigbar did, Demyx did it too. He followed him around like a puppy; obeying his every command and only doing tricks when told to do so. He probably did like Xigbar like _that_.

Axel turned towards him and gave him a friendly smile. "You still like this place, right?"

"Well yeah, of course."

"How about I buy this from the bank, fix it up, and keep it here just for the two of us? We seem to be the only people who really appreciate it."

Even with the dim light, he could see Roxas' eyes light up. The boy he'd first met was back. "Sure!"

XXX

Axel did just as he said he would. He bought the place, paid for the utilities, and paid to have work done on it. By the time the remodel was finished- a good six weeks of work -it looked more like a studio apartment than an old bar. The putrid smell was gone, the bathroom was fixed, and it looked fairly decent.

More importantly, Roxas would love it.

"Why do I have to keep my eyes closed?" Roxas chuckled as he walked in front of the taller man. His much larger hands covered his eyes as he stopped in the middle of the empty room.

" _Because_. Stop being frumpy and open your eyes."

"You do realize frumpy means-" Roxas' jaw dropped as he turned in one big circle to look at his surroundings. "Holy sassafras, this place looks _amazing!_ "

Axel watched with a pleased smile as Roxas ran around and tested the floors. The awful creaking the boards did in some places was no longer present. He jumped up and down, laughing at the fact that the roof didn't tumble in on them. It was totally different, but in the best way.

"Can we get furniture for it? And paintings? And those cute little lava lamps?" he asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Slow down, Roxy. One thing at a time," he grinned as he ruffled his spikes.

Roxas pouted, but it was quickly replaced by an excited laugh as he looked around once more. "One couch today? Please?"

Honestly, Axel was tired and wanted to take a nap, but he felt inclined to do what the kid wanted. Roxas deserved this place more than anyone; he just wanted to decorate it and make it his own.

The redhead sighed, an exhausted smirk tugging at his lips. "What kind of couch, Roxy?"

"A pull-out couch! That way if I get tired and don't feel like driving home, I can sleep _here_ and…" He stopped, tilting his head as he looked up at Axel. "You're eyes are green. Like… _really_ green."

Axel laughed. "I thought you would've noticed that by now."

"I barely see you. And when I do, it's in dim lighting or somewhere in the dark. I love them."

Heat rose to Axel's cheeks, eyes widening slightly. Roxas quickly looked down at the floor and chuckled humorlessly. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."

The redhead felt strange. Roxas loved his eyes? Was that just a random compliment or was Roxas… _that_ way? He hadn't really pegged him as the type; just a bit shy and sensitive with a few feminine-like tendencies.

If he was going to be completely honest with himself, there was something about those sapphire orbs that drew him in as well. But what?

"You're fine. Let's go get your couch."

Roxas smiled wide and instantly clung to his arm. Axel tensed up, making the blond back away. "I'm sorry. I usually only do that to Demyx."

Axel waved it off. "Don't apologize for that. I didn't really mind it. Just wasn't expecting it."

"Oh…okay. Can I warn you next time?"

"Sure," Axel shrugged, wondering why his stomach was tying itself up in knots.

XXX

Neither of them kept track of how many days, weeks, or months it had been since they met or since they fixed the old bar into Roxas' own little paradise. He called it a dive home, even though it didn't seem to fit. Dive bars were cheap and disgusting places, but this place was beautiful. Even Axel had to admit that he wouldn't mind actually living there if it was fully furnished.

Roxas was at his day job around that hour, so Axel snuck away from work and went to check the place out. He and Roxas both had keys to the place, so they didn't exactly have to go together.

He walked inside with a couple rolled up posters under his arm and flicked the light on. Roxas' pull-out couch was in the far corner of the room next to two bedside tables. On the left one was a blue lava lamp, and on the right a red one. Roxas had insisted Axel get something to make the place his too, so he got the lava lamp.

The couch, tables, and lamps were the only things that were there. He knew Roxas wanted more stuff, but was afraid to ask. The posters would be a nice addition for now.

So far, he only had three. Based off of the many conversations they had, Axel knew he liked a show called Attack on Titan, Bleach, and a band called Starset. With a smile, he tacked the posters up. One above the couch, one on the side, and one on the ceiling above the couch.

"There. He'll like that. And the piano when it gets here," he smiled proudly. As he walked back to the door to lock up, he noticed his shoes made a loud echo. It made everything feel empty…the bad kind of empty. He found himself wishing Roxas was there.

After work, Roxas decided to drive down to his dive home. Well, his and Axel's dive home. They both had a key, so they shared it.

Xigbar and Demyx had been blowing up his phone to get him to go into work at the bar. Why should he? It was Saturday and they promised him weekends off. It wasn't like he had a choice as to what he could sing anymore. He just wasn't into songs about meaningless sex, dirty affairs, or anything like that. He didn't want to be their little money making sex icon.

At least at the old dive bar, people appreciated what he sang. They weren't looking at his outfit or thinking about how good he probably was in bed. He didn't get felt up constantly or drugged by some old pervert and almost get taken home. At least at the dive bar, there was a bit of respect for him and his music.

On the way there, he had picked up a few things for Axel. He had a small obsession with old arcade games like Pacman, Duck Hunt, Space Invaders, all of that. Sadly, he didn't know where to get all those games. So instead of going on a wild goose chase for all those games, he brought a TV and his old Sega Genesis. Axel would like that, right?

It didn't have Duck Hunt, but it did have Space Invaders, Galaga, and several other games. He figured why not bring it here, since he rarely ever touched the thing.

As he was bringing the TV inside, he immediately noticed the posters. He quickly sat the TV down to look at them. "Axel, you jerk! My surprise was supposed to come before yours!" he smiled. He didn't even remember telling Axel that he liked these things. It was a huge gesture in the simplest form. It meant a lot after being treated the way he was at the new bar.

Blushing, he smiled to himself as he brought the TV table and game console inside. Now he had to do something else for Axel because he wasn't ready for this. He wanted to give Axel the same reaction, the same feeling of appreciation he felt. A stupid little Sega Genesis wouldn't do.

XXX

The two went back and forth like that until they eventually ran into each other again. By that time, the place had actually looked like a fully furnished apartment. They had carpet, a ceiling fan, floor lamps, a love seat, a staircase that led to nothing but a wall (Axel's idea), a piano, a microwave, a fridge, and a couple bookshelves.

It felt more like home than their _actual_ homes.

The only thing that didn't quite fit was the reinstallation of the bar and stools. Roxas didn't like it at first, but it grew on him once the microwave and fridge were placed in. Though there was no alcohol there, it felt right to have.

Roxas smiled fondly at the redhead as he played Galaga while sprawled out on the couch. They were both comfortable and that was all he wanted. He spun in the stool, sighing happily. Who in the world told Axel to do all of this for him? Not that it wasn't appreciated, but it seemed like a bit much for someone he barely knew. "Hey Axel?"

"Huh…?" he answered mindlessly, eyes glued to the TV screen.

"What's all this for?"

"Uhn…"

Rolling his eyes, Roxas walked over to the couch and reached for the controller. Axel whined about almost reaching a new high score and rolled away from him.

"Pause the game so we can talk!"

"High _score_ , Roxas! Just give me two minutes and I'll listen to whatever you have to say!"

Roxas was able to snatch the controller away and pause the game. Axel frowned, but listened. "What was the question?"

"Why'd you do all of this?" he laughed, gesturing to their surroundings.

Axel looked around and shrugged. "For _you_."

"Why, though? I don't understand why you would go through so much trouble for a random nineteen year old guy."

"Hey, you're not _random_. You're Dem's brother. That's gotta count for something. And we both like this place better than the Dem  & Xig Bar."

"True, but-"

"There's no but. You aren't happy there. Anyone with eyes and a properly functioning brain could see that. You were happier _here_ when it was shitty. Why not keep this place alive?"

Roxas looked down at his hands. "So you did this because you saw that I wasn't happy…and you wanted to make me happy?"

Axel's heart jumped for reasons he couldn't explain. Right when he thought they were comfortable enough with each other to hold normal conversations, Roxas went back to being shy and reserved. "I uh…yeah. I guess that's why?"

"And that huge check. Why did you write that?"

"I didn't plan to at first. Dem and Xig asked for help, but I thought they were just screwing around and not taking anything seriously. Then I saw how much you loved singing here and…well, that'd be a waste of your talent if you continued to sing in such a horrible place. Even if you legitimately liked it."

The blond blushed, refusing to look up at the older man. "Why do you like this place better than the other bar?"

Finally, a question Axel could answer with the utmost confidence. "Because _you're_ not at the other bar."

Roxas looked up in confusion. "Y-Yes I am."

"I do random pop ups from time to time. I see a guy that looks a lot like you singing songs that you don't agree with. I see him wearing clothes that you would probably never wear, a smirk that I have never seen on you before, and confidence that isn't real. I see a big city boy in that guy; in you I see that island boy that I talked to a while ago."

A laugh escaped Roxas, followed by a snort. He quickly covered his mouth to stop it, eyes widening in horror. He was embarrassed by it, but Axel thought it was adorable. "I don't know if I should be creeped out or flattered by that."

"I'll take flattered," Axel smirked. "That snort, though."

"L-Let's just pretend like that didn't happen."

"Oh, but it _did_."

"Shut up!" Roxas groaned, turning away from him. Axel laughed and crawled towards him, laying on his back so that he could see his blushing face.

His stomach was typing itself up into knots again. Something about Roxas' face excited him; especially when he was smiling.

"Hey Rox?"

"What?" he mumbled, burying half of his face into his knees.

He smiled boyishly, giving in to the urge to nuzzle his face into his thigh. " _Your_ eyes are blue."

XXX

The two weren't able to see each other for months because Axel's job caused him to leave town. It was a good thing they were able to exchange phone numbers. Whenever Axel wasn't working, he found himself locked in his hotel room texting Roxas or talking on the phone with him. He was all he thought about in his free time.

At the business dinner he was forced to attend, he sat at a large table across from his parents' future business partners. His mother was on his left and his father was on his right. In front of him was a blond girl, about Roxas' height with her heels on. Her hair was longer and a brighter shade than Roxas', but she appeared to have those same lovely sapphire eyes that he did.

He was homesick now, something he had never been in his life. The sooner he could get out of Twilight Town and get back to Hollow Bastion with Roxas, the better.

The people sitting in front of him were the Foresters. They ran a huge music company much like his parents', but smaller and less successful in comparison. The Foresters were rich, but the Sommers were stupid rich; filthy rich; make-my-butlers-carry-me-instead-of-taking-my-limo rich.

They talked all dinner, somehow making time to eat between breaths. Axel stared at his plate with a wistful smile, poking at the expensive food and letting it get cold. He didn't care about anything they said.

"It's a shame we had to wait this long to try and merge with someone. Our other two sons would've been perfect, but…" the woman trailed off.

"But what?" Axel's father asked.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Demyx and Roxas came out of the closet at young ages, so they disowned them," she shrugged.

Axel's fork slipped from his fingers and clattered on the plate. Demyx and Roxas were Foresters? He never cared enough to learn their last names, but now he knew he should've asked. "Demyx and Roxas, you say?" he asks, looking up at them.

"Yup, those were our boys. They have a nameless, ugly little bar back in Hollow Bastion. It hasn't gone anywhere and it never will."

Axel was offended. He initially thought the same thing about it, but he had changed his mind. Roxas loved that bar and no one was allowed to talk bad about it.

"Actually, they're doing better. Demyx and another colleague of mine asked for my help. I wrote them a check and they were able to relocate and get much better business."

All eyes were on him now. "Really? Is Roxas still a singer there?"

"Yes, Sir. The bar is actually quite charming now. It's much better than the last one they had and…I like it," he lied with a smile. Roxas didn't le it, so he didn't like it.

The woman smiled. "I guess we'll have to see it. When you head back to Hollow Bastion, we'll all go and see what their bar is like. Drinks on us."

"If it's to your liking, will you consider accepting them as your sons again? They're both kind and very intelligent. I think their ideas can be a helpful asset to your company."

Their mother and father shared a look. "I suppose so," the man nodded.

Axel smiled to himself. This was one surprise that Roxas would absolutely love.

XXX

Roxas kicked his legs back and forth angrily as he sat in his and Axel's dive home. He only had a few friends, one of them being his brother. He wasn't exactly angry, just lonely. Axel occupied him and made his time at the new bar worth it because right after work, he would go to the old bar and, nine times put of ten, find the redhead laying on the couch.

He didn't always stay there for long, but the fact that he was usually always there was comforting. There were times when he wasn't there, like now. Roxas was bored out of his mind and he didn't have anyone to talk to.

Yes, he liked Axel. More than a friend, more than a brother. Did Axel notice his feelings? It was a nice thought; him and Axel in a relationship while his parents weren't around. The only thing that kept him from outright saying so was that he thought he was a Sommers. He was bound to find out that Roxas was a Forester. A disowned Forester at that.

Being disowned in the Forester family was a huge thing. Anybody who was worth anything couldn't be caught hanging with them unless they wanted to create social suicide. If Axel really was a Sommers, he'd run for the hills. And not the Hollywood hills.

The door opened, making his heart speed up to an almost impossible rate. That was Axel. He knew because Axel texted him and told him he would be there in a few minutes. He felt himself blush and lowered his head.

"Missed me, Roxy?" Axel called.

"Yes! I was so freakin' _bored!_ " he sighed, dropping his head against the bar.

The redhead smoothly slid onto the bar stool beside him. "I have news. Great news. You ready for this?"

"If it's got you excited, hells yeah I'm ready!"

"Okay, so I had a business dinner with some long time business partners of my parents'. I found _out_ that those business partners are your parents. You're a Forester, right?"

Roxas' smile faded. "Yeah. And you're a Sommers…

"Yeah, I thought you knew. But anyway, I talked to them and I know about the whole disowning thing. They're out here in the Stargate hotel and they want to see how the new bar is doing tonight. If they like it, they'll claim you and Demyx again."

Roxas exhaled through his nose, nostrils flaring in anger. "I don't want them to claim me. I _never_ wanted them to claim me." There was a malice in his voice that Axel had never heard before; an angry glare that he'd never seen.

"I didn't know…"

"And I didn't expect you to. I'm not mad at you. Just…" He ran a hand through his spikes and growled. "Who the hell disowns their children for being gay!? It's not like I can _help_ what I like! Gay marriage is fucking legal now, and they support it because the public wants them to. They don't accept me and Demyx, though. They think we're fucking high schoolers going through some kind of phase. It's not! I like what I like and I don't give a damn what they think about it!"

Axel stared at Roxas, surprised, amused, and impressed at his outburst. The only thing he'd ever seen him put a lot of passion into was his music. It was nice to see him get all riled up. It was _exciting_.

"Sorry…" Roxas panted. "The one thing I hate more than anything is people who claim to hate people just because of a preference. They stood in my face and told me they _hated_ me, and I will never forgive that."

Axel understood completely. "And I'm not going to tell you to feel any different. I'm really sorry, Roxy, I didn't know."

Roxas slid off of the stool and walked over to the couch. It was already pulled out, so he flopped down on his stomach. Axel, again, felt the need to be right beside him. He walked over and sat beside the blond. A comfortable silence passed over them, giving them both necessary thinking time. Roxas needed to simmer down and Axel needed to figure out exactly why his heart was hammering in his chest like a machine gun. Did he _like_ Roxas?

Roxas started to hum, making Axel smile. He was definitely a Forester. Everything they did centered around music. They lived and breathed it. But the fact that he was a Forester wasn't what made him smile. It was Roxas being himself.

"You aren't going to tell me to go away now that I know you _want_ to be disowned?" Axel asked.

"No…" he answered softly, rolling onto his back. "I'm the one that needs to go away. My parents hate me and Demyx is too wrapped up in Xigbar to even notice they're killing me."

"You don't need to go anywhere, Roxas. This place," he gestured to the rest of the room, "is all ours. No one's going to hurt you here."

Roxas smiled, sitting up so that they were face to face. "Can I hug you?"

Axel nodded slowly, unable to part his lips for some reason. One Roxas' smaller body was in his arms, he closed his eyes and rocked them both. The feeling felt like the best high he could ever achieve. Roxas felt the exact same way.

No, Roxas' high was laced with fear. He didn't know if Axel felt for him the way he wanted him to, but being held by this near stranger…this guy that knew so much, yet so little about him, felt wonderful. He wanted to tell him, but what if it ruined the moment?

Roxas pulled away abruptly, blushing fiercely. "Thanks. Though I know we don't a lot of each other, or really know much about each other, I can't help but feel glad to know you."

Axel smiled, heart still hammering. "Me too, Roxy."

The time came where both his and Axel's parents were supposed to come to the bar to see how everything was going and how Roxas performed. He was a nervous wreck. What would seeing his parents be like after five years?

"You can do this, Roxas. Just find Axel in the crowd. Find his eyes…"

His leg bounced up and down as he played with his sleeve anxiously. Everything felt wrong. Why did Axel have to butt in? He understood that he was trying to do something nice for him, but why? Why was he always doing things for him?

Before he knew it, his buzzer sounded. He schooled a face of smug indifference and opened the door that led to the back of the bar. The crowd clapped for him. Some faces he recognized, others he didn't. The only face that mattered, the one he couldn't find, was Axel's.

His parents were sitting at the bar, not even attempting to hide their identity. He squinted a bit as he gave the crowd another once over. Axel wasn't in the crowd, in the booths, or at the bar. Where the hell was he?

Then it dawned on him. Axel didn't like this fake persona he was forced to put on for the crowd. Of course he wouldn't be there.

He sang some random sex song mindlessly, flashing a couple of smiles and winks here and there. Without Axel there, he felt nothing. Not even the burning hatred he had in his heart for his parents was able to make him feel. He needed to see those curious green eyes stare at him as if he were from another planet, pierce through him as if he were trying to see beneath all the walls he's put up for protection.

He didn't look at his parents for the rest of his three hour performance. He couldn't stand the sight of them.

Soon, or at least sooner than he'd expected, he was leaving the stage and walking over to the bar. Demyx had his arms propped up on the bar, a huge smile on his face as he and Xigbar chatted animatedly with their parents, the people who'd abandoned them and let them fend for themselves for such a dumb reason. How could Demyx smile at them like that?

"Roxy!" his mother exclaimed as she carefully slid off if her stool with opened arms. "Honey, we missed you!"

Roxas side stepped her, avoiding her invitation for a hug. "What do you people want?"

"They want to buy this place off of us and turn it into a music joint! Isn't that great!?" Xigbar laughed. "Dem and I will still be running everything. We just won't own the place."

Roxas looked to Demyx for confirmation. Demyx gave a weak smile and nodded. "It seems like a smart investment. I'm willing to go with it. How about you?"

His brow furrowed in anger. He had already sold out once for his brother's sake. It wasn't about to happen again. "Sell it if you want to, but count me out. I want nothing to do with this place."

Xigbar frowned. "What do you mean? Rox, you love this place!"

"No, you love this place. I'm out." He grabbed his jacket from behind the counter and walked towards the exit. When he stepped into the crisp night air, he didn't expect to see a figure in his car. A redheaded figure, at that.

Roxas opened his car door with a frown. "You're in my car. Why?" he ask softly, though he had a bit of an attitude.

"I had maybe a couple many drinks," he slurred, face-planting the dashboard. Sighing, Roxas slid into the driver's seat and started his car. When did Axel have time to drink? He didn't even see him go inside. Unless he was inside and left right before Roxas came out to sing.

He drove straight to their usual place, leading Axel inside and dumping him on the pull-out couch that he neglected to fix before leaving for work.

Axel groaned and reached for the blond. "Roxy, c'mere."

He was exhausted and in a pretty foul mood, but he didn't show it. Instead, he crawled into the makeshift bed and gently pushed Axel's arm down. "You rang?" he chuckled.

Axel sat up unsteadily, but he was determined. "I wanna make you happy, Roxy. That's all I ever wanted."

The blond blushed and gasped when he felt a thin pair of lips nibbling at his neck. The contact felt great, but it was the wrong time. If they were going to do this, he wanted Axel to be sober. "A-Axel, stop. You're r-really drunk."

He didn't stop. Roxas tried to protest, but it didn't seem to be working. Probably because he didn't sound the least bit stern with his demands. The more Axel pushed him back into the mattress, the weaker his resolve became. He couldn't help himself. Roxas had wanted this kind of attention from him for a long while. He'd wanted to be touched and loved and cared and appreciated. Axel succeeded in doing all of that while heavily intoxicated.

The older man shamelessly undressed him, muttering about how perfect Roxas was. His kisses were like a roaring fire in the middle of the winter; he _needed_ it.

Roxas whimpered, clinging to this highly inebriated man as he clumsily made love to him.

XXX

He couldn't remember the last time he woke up nauseated with a splitting headache. What exactly did Xigbar serve him?

Rubbing his eyes, he rolled over onto his side. That's when he saw Roxas. The poor boy was sitting up in bed looking pretty rough. His hair was disheveled, his neck was littered with different sizes of purple marks, and his shirt was gone. The sheets were bunched up in his trembling fists, which he gripped for dear life as he held his hands in front of his chest.

He was visibly a mess. Axel, now extremely worried, sat up straight and forced himself to think through his massive headache. "Roxy, are you okay?"

Despite his appearance, he gave a small smile. "I'm…better than okay. I'm great." Seconds later, the boy dissolved into relieved laughter. "You probably don't even remember why I feel this great."

Axel looked down at himself, knowing he could take a wild guess. The thing is, it didn't bother him as much as it probably should have. He was more relieved that Roxas was okay. "What happened with your parents?"

"They're buying the bar from Dem and Xigbar. I quit," he chuckled airily. "I _quit_. What's the point of being the main character in Wonderland if you're not Alice? I'm not even the "wrong" Alice."

Axel chuckled and shrugged. "True. But where are you going to sing?"

The blond shrugged. "I'll just find another place. I'm bound to get a job singing in a bar around here, right?"

He wanted to ask why Roxas was so fixated on bars, but he figured he already knew why. If Roxas felt like singing in bars was what he was meant to do, where he belonged, then he'd support him in that decision. He'd support this kid in any decision.

"Of course, Roxy."

XXX

One month later found Axel in a car speeding towards Roxas' new gig. He'd just gotten away from work and decided to check up on Roxas for the third time that week.

As per usual, he pulled the rickety door open and walked inside. Like always, he went straight to the bar and met up with the owner. Luxord was a pretty laid back guy who immediately took a liking to Roxas and gave him the job.

Unlike Demyx and Xigbar, he didn't treat him like a sex icon to real in customers. If he didn't want to work, Luxord didn't make him. That was rarely ever a problem because Roxas loved it there.

"How about some Whiskey on the house?" the British man smirked.

Axel chuckled. "My drink is always on the house. Not that I'm complaining," he said as he took a seat on the wobbly stool.

"You scratched my back, I'm scratching yours. The best thing about this place is the liquor and you know it."

Green eyes looked around in amusement. The place was nearly in shambles, but somehow in a much better condition than the first dive bar Roxas sang at. The place had a permanent cigarette smoke cloud floating around, there were constant bar fights, the restrooms were renamed "fuckrooms" by many of the patrons, and there was a half patched up hole in the roof.

But hey, it had a window!

The dull headache he received from the loud music and obnoxious noises behind him was to be expected. It didn't bother him at all thought because it was almost nine.

Instead of the buzzer he had gotten used to with Demyx and Xigbar, a man walked up to the front and properly introduced his favorite blond boy. He turned towards the front and watched as Roxas nervously approached the microphone.

The crowd quieted down to murmurs and whispers as Roxas sang. No matter where he went, he seemed to bring order into that particular bar. People loved him; were mesmerized by his voice. Axel would proudly admit that he was one of those people, if not the main one.

The raggedy building and nearly everyone in it could be considered odd. It was different, weird, and downright mind boggling. But they loved it. Roxas loved it. It was like he was the center of attention in every single place he ever sang in.

Satisfied blue orbs met amused green, causing the owner to smile. He was enjoying himself.

Axel didn't know what they were relationship wise. They kissed and occasionally had sex like couples did, but they still didn't know everything about each other. Neither asked; neither wanted to. All that mattered was what he knew Roxas was: an Alice.

 **XXX**

 **I really typed nine thousand fucking words in a oneshot…goddamn. That's a new record!**

 **This was out of the blue and completely random for me. I didn't think this through all the way, so this is the end product. Hope you enjoyed!**


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